| dc.description.abstract | Herbivorous insects present significant challenges to agriculture, often aided by their
associated microbial communities which help them overcome plant defenses. Yeasts,
commonly found as environmental associates or endosymbionts of insects, remain less
studied compared to bacteria. This literature review synthesizes current research and
evaluates key hypotheses regarding the mutualistic relationship between insects and
yeasts, as well as their impact on plants. Yeasts provide nutritional benefits, such as protein
for fruit fly development and carbohydrate digestion for bark beetles, by producing
carbohydrate-active enzymes. In bark beetles, endosymbiotic yeasts also detoxify plant
defense compounds like pinene, salicin, and naringenin. Yeasts gain dispersal advantages
through insect-mediated transport between nutrient-rich substrates and often depend on
ingestion for reproduction. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by yeasts play a
critical role in insect attraction and communication, with certain key VOCs being conserved
across yeast species. Yeast volatiles influence behaviors such as aggregation in bark
beetles and demonstrate their ecological importance. Yeasts can also modulate plant
responses, with some activating or suppressing plant defenses, while others emit VOCs that
inhibit phytopathogenic fungi. Despite these findings, further research is needed to fully
understand the mechanisms underlying these interactions. The relationship between
insects and yeasts varies across species, but yeasts significantly influence insect ability to
exploit plant resources. Studying these interactions offers valuable insights for developing
improved pest management strategies in agriculture. | |
